johnson



E. R. JOHNSON.

TALKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED ocr. 2, |914. RENEwED 061.11919.

w/rNEssEs M W Bv Arron/Veys E. R. JOHNSON.

TALKlNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 2.1914. RENEWED OCT. 9.19I9.

Patented May 24, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Q a I \\w`\.\ L\ IIIIIIII I M fhtw, -Lmuwlulnlnw TIIIIMIL T Il- II n I/ .uiwm s P j f Ty 6 l a l l l It Lkr Cl L I I f J N m WITNESSES ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELDRIDGE B. JOHNSON, 0F MERION, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO VICTOR TALKING MACHINE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

TALKING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 24, 1921.

Application led October 2, 1914, Serial No. 864,564. Renewed October 9, 1919. Serial No. 329.646.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ELDRIDGE R. JoHN- soN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Merion, county of l\lontgomery, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Talking-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

One object of this invention is to provide an improved collapsible talking machine, and more specifically an improved collapsible talking machine including a cabinet and sound reproducing means inclosed therein in which the sound reproducing means includes a rotary record support which is arranged to be moved from an inoperative po sition, in which it is entirely inclosed by the cabinet, to an operative position, in which it projects outwardly from and is only partly inclosed by the cabinet.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved talking machine including a cabinet and sound reproducing means inclosed thereby and in which the sound rcproducing means includes a record support movable from an inoperative position to an operative position as the result of the movement of a closure forming a part of the cabinet.

Other objects of this invention are to provide in a talking machine improved sound amplifying means; to provide an improved arrangement for a disk record support: and to provide other improvements as will appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, F igure 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of a talking machine constructed in accordance with this invention, the parts thereof heilig shown as when in operation; Fig. 2 a vertical central section of the same; Fig. 3 a vertical central section of the same showing the parts as in inoperative condition; and Figs. 4 and 5 are perspective views of parts of the same.

The embodiment of this invention shown in the drawings comprises an upright rech tangular cabinet 1 including vertical parallel side Walls 2 and 3, a vertical back wall 4, a horizontal to wall 5 and a. horizontal bottom wall 6. he interior of the cabinet is sub-divided by two vertical partitions l0 and 11 which extend from the top wall 5 to the bottom Wall 6 and from the back wall 4 forwardly to the plane of the front of the cabinet, and between each of these vertical partitions 10 and 11 and the corresponding side walls 2 and 3 are horizontal partitions 12 forming record compartments which are provided with suitable doors 13.

To provide suitable com artments for sound reproducing means an sound amplifying means, a horizontal partition 15 is arranged approximately midway between the top wall 5 and the bottom wall 6 and extends from one of the vertical partitions 10 to the other vertical partition 11. The space within the cabinet above this horizontal partition 15 and between the two vertical partitions 10 and 11, is divided by a Wooden partition 20 which extends from one of the vertical partitions 1() to the other vertical partition 11, thus providing a lower compartment 21 adapted to contain sound reproducing mechanism and an upper compartment 22 adapted to contain sound amplifying means. The rear portion of the wooden partition 20 dividing these two compartments is preferably substantially horizontal and extends inwardly from the back wall 4 of the cabinet to a horizontal line perpendicular to the side walls 10 and 1'1 and approximately midway between the back Wall 4 and the front of the cabinet. The front portion of this partition 20 is preferably inclined obliquely upwardly from the horizontal portion to the front plane of the cabinet and in a plane perpendicular to the vertical partitions 10 and 11.

Extending between the two vertical partitions 10 and 11, and secured thereto, Hush with the outer edegs thereof, are two vertically spaced horizontal strips or cleats 25 and 26, the inner surfaces of which are preferably in abutment, respectively, with the front edges of the horizontal partition 15, forming the bottom wall of the lower compartment 21, and the partition 20 which divides the lower` comparament 21 from the upper compartment 22. The open space 27 between the upper cleat 26 and the top wall 5 and between the vertical partitions 10 and 11 serves as a sound outlet from the sound amplifying compartment 22. and is preferably controlled by two vertical doors 30 and 31 which are hinged respectively to the vertical partitions 10 and 11. The space bclow the horizontal partition 15 is subdivided by a horizontal partition 35 to form suitable compartments 36 and 37, one of which may be provided with doors 38 and the other with a drawer 39, for the storage of records or accessories.

For supporting a sound record support Y and a motor for actuating the same a substantially flat rigid inclined carriage 40 extends from the vertical partition l() to the vertical partition 11 in a plane perpendicular to these partitions. This carriage is inclined from its front edge rearwardly and upwardly and is mounted to slide in its own plane upon two parallel inclined cleats 41 which are' rigidly secured against the inner sidesY of the vertical partitions 10 and 1l, and within the sound reproducing compartment 21. The path of the carriage is so araspring motor provided with a windingV gear 46, arranged to be rotated by a crank 47 which projects fully through an inclined slotprovided therefor in the vertical partition 11. A spindle 48 projects perpendicularly through the carriage 40 in an approximately central aperture provided therefor in the carriage. This spindle is arranged to be rotated by the motor about an axis fixed with respect to the carriage 40 and coincident with the longitudinal axis of the spindle. Carried by the upper end of this spindle 4S is a turntable or rotary record support 50, which is arranged normally in a plane parallel to the carriage 40 to support Va disk sound record 51.

For counterbalancing the carriage 40 and parts carried thereby, a vertically elongated counterweight 55 1s arranged to reciprocate vertically in a compartment 56 formed between the back wall 4 of the cabinet and a vertical partition 57 which extends from the horizontal partition 15 to the horizontal partition 35. This counterweight is secured at its upper end to oneend of a flexible con- Y nector 58 which passes from the counter'- weight upwardly over a pulley 59 rotatively secured to the inner surface of the back wall 4 and is connected at its other end to the motor 45,' the arrangement being such that the flexible connector acts upon the motor 45V and its carriage 4() in an'inclined direction parallel to the line of movement of the carriage. The counterbalance is preferably of a suflicient weight to overbalance the tendency of the carriage 40 to slide downwardly on its ways 41 under the action of the Weight of the carriage and the weights of the parts carried thereby, and to tend to slide the carriage upwardly.

For inclosing the front of the sound rev producing compartment 21 and for automaticallyl reciprocating the carriage 40 there is provided a flat substantially rigid door or closure which when closed is arranged vertically and entirely fills the space between the horizontal strips 25 and 26 and the vertical partitions 10 and 11. For supporting the door 70 to oscillate about a fixed hori zontal axis from a vertical position to a horizontal position in which the outer surface of the door rests upon the upper surface vproject respectively through the vertical partitions 10 and 11 and which are rigidly secured thereto by plates 74 integral with the pivots respectively. The door or closure 70 is operatively connected tothe carriage 40 by two oppositely disposed parallel links 75 which extend inwardly from the door. The outer end of each of these links is pivotally connected to a bracket 7G rigidly secured to the inner surface of the door 7 0, and the inner end of each of these linksis pivotally secured to a-bracket 7V rigidly ses cured to the upper surfacerof the front portion of the carriage 40. YThe arrangement is such that'when the door 70 is in a hori-V zontal position, the links 75 will lie fiat against the upper surface of the carriage. and the weight of the door 70 acting through the links will hold the carriage 40 in an operative position4 shown in Figs. 1 and 2) Y into aninoperative positionas Vshown in dottedlines in Fig. 3, the counterweight 55 acting to facilitatethis action and to retain Vthe door 70 in a closed position and the car .rlage 40 in an inoperative position. Y

For cooperating with a sound record 51 upon the turntable() to reproduce sounds, there is provided a sound box or sound `reproducer 80 which carries a stylus S1 which is arranged 'to engage the sound record 51. The sound box 80 is preferably connected in a well-known manner toy one end of aU- shaped tube 82, the other end of which is pivotally connected to the smaller end .of a

longitudinally tapering hollow `tone-arm 83V to swing with respect thereto about a horizontal ax1s from an operative positiony in engagement with a record 51 to an inverted inoperative position where it will rest upon a bracket 84 carried by the tone arm.

The tone-arm 83 extends from the U- shaped tube 82 rearwardl in a straight line substantially parallel wit the plane of the record support 50 and then curves longitudinally upwardly through an arc of about 90 de rees and terminates in an open substantia ly cylindrical end 85. The tone-arm 83 is arranged to swing about a fixed axis which is sup orted by a fixed bracket 87 which is rigidly secured to the smaller end of a longitudinally tapering hollow rigid sound conducting bracket 90 which flares upwardly in the upper compartment 22, the longitudinal axis of the pivot 86 being substantially coincident with the axis of oscillation of the tone-arm, and with the longitudinal axis of the larger end of the tone arm. T he lower end of the hollow bracket 90 and the depending bracket 87 project freely through an aperture 91 provided therefor in the front` part of the horizontal portion of the partition 20, and at a point such that the axis of oscillation of the tone-arm 83 lies in an approximately vertical plane perpendicular to the b ack wall 4 of the cabinet and intersecting the central portion of the active path ofthe stylus 81 across the record 51.

The hollow bracket 90 is rigidly secured to the back wall 4 of the cabinet, the bracket being preferably provided with a flat base 95 integral therewith which is clamped rigidly against the inner surface of the back wall 4 by bolts 96 extending through the back wall and threaded into the base 95. The larger end of the hollowr bracket 90 terminates in a transversely oblong rectangular longitudinally flaring socket 97, which is preferably arranged so that its longitudinal axis is horizontal and coincides with the central portion of the sound outlet.

Arranged coaxially with the socket 97 and flaring forwardly therefrom is a hollow sound amplifying body 99 which is entirely supported at its smaller end by the rigid hollow bracket 90, the smaller end of the sound amplifying body 99 fitting snugly in and being rigidly secured to the socket 97.- This hollow sound amplifying body 99 is preferably oblong and rectangular throughout its length in transverse section and comprises two wooden forwardly diverging side walls 100 arranged in vertical planes and connected by a plurality of forwardly diverging flat soundin boards 101. This hollow sound ampli yin body projects freely from the hollow rigld bracket 90 and terminates at its larger end in close proximity to but spaced from the inner surface of the doors 30 and 31 when the doors are closed.

From the foregoing it is evident that the construction of this improved machine is such that the record support 50 may be moved automatically from an inoperative position into an operative position simply by opening the door which may be accomplished with very slight effort, and that when the record support is in its operative position, it is conveniently accessible and is so inclined as to facilitate the changing of records, and the door 70 is in such a position that the maj or portion of its area is serviceable as a convenient shelf or stationary support for holding records or other talking machine accessories during the operation of the machine. By having the forward portion of the partition 20 inclined upwardly and forwardly free access to the record support is provided, and the inclined portion of the partition may be adapted to act as a sound de- Hector to reect outwardly any sound waves which may be directed against its under surface as a result of the external action of the sound box 80. The inclined portion of the partition 20 may also coperate with the inclined carriage and sound record to act as a forwardly flaring sound amplifier for the sound waves produced externally7 by the sound box. When the machine is not in operation the door 70 may be closed and the machine will occupy only a comparatively small amount of space.

It will be seen that my invention provides au inclosed talking machine in which the tone arm is pivotally mounted to swing across the record as the sound box is propelled, through the stylus, by the record groove. and that the record support 50 supported on the movable carriage 40 in the cabinet, is in an inclined inoperative nonplaying position when the closure or door 70 is closed as shown, in dotted lines in Fig. 3, and that when the closure or door 70 is opened, the record support is moved by the closure forwardly to the front of the cabinet and away from its original position within the cabinet and awav from the pivotal axis of the tone arm, outwardly from the interior of the main or body portion of the cabinet, transversely to the path of the movement of the stylus and sound box across the record during the reproduction of sound, to an operative playing position, in which the record support preferably projects or extends outwardly somewhat from the main or body portion of the cabinet or casing. In this latter position, the record support 51 is at, near or adjacent the opening in the cabinet, where it is accessible for changing records, changing needles and for regulating the speed of the motor, and in said latter position the sound box is free to traverse the record for the purpose of reproducing sound therefrom.

Although only one embodiment of my invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings described in the above specification, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be construed as limited strictly thereto. Many changes in construction and arrangement are fully contemplated by me and aie intended to be included herein, so long as such structures are defined by and are embraced within the plain intent and meaning of the terms of the appended claims.

Having thus fully described this iiiveiition, I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States:

l. In a talking machine, the combination with a cabinet, sound reproducing means arranged therein, of a rotary record support'inovable independently of said cabinet from an inoperative non-playing position withinl said cabinet to an operative playing position extending cabinet.

. 2. In a talking machine, the combination with a cabinet and sound reproducing means arranged therein, of a rotary record outwardly from said Y support movable with respect to said sound reproducing means from an inoperative non-playing position within said cabinet,

to an operative playing position awa-y from said position within said cabinet.

3. In a talking machine, the combination with a cabinet and sound reproducing Vmeans therein, of a rotary record support movable in said cabinet relatively to said reproducing means in a path inclined with respect to said cabinet from an inoperative non-playing position to an operative playing position. A' V 4:. In a talking machine, the combination of-a Vcabinet having an opening therein, sound reproducing means in said cabinet, a rotary record support within said cabinet and a closure arranged to open and closeV anv inoperative non-playing position by the closing of said closure y 6. In a talking machine, the combination with a cabinet provided with an opening, and a movable closure for said opening, of sound reproducing means within said cabinet, a rotary record support within said cabinet and arranged to be moved by said closure from Van inoperative non-playing position inside of said cabinet to an operative playing position at said opening and tion within said cabinet rto an operativeplaying position outwardly from the interior or said cabinet, stationary sound am-f plifying means arranged wlthin said` cabi-V net and secured thereto, and sound reproducing means carried by Said amplifying means and arranged to coperate with a record on said support when said record support is in said operative position.

8. In a talking machine, the combination ofa cabinet, a rotary record support within said cabinet, sound amplifying means in said cabinet above said record support, soundV reproducing means, andv sound deflecting means extending in said cabinet between said sound amplifying means and said record'support in a direction diverging with respect t0 said record support.

9. In a talking machine, the combination of acabinet, and inclined rotary record support within said cabinet, sound amplifying means within said cabinet above said record support, sound reproducing means, and soundY deflecting means extending. in said cabinet between said sound amplifying means and said record support in a direction diverging with respect to the plane of said record support. t

10. In a talking machine, the combination of a cabinet, an inclined rotary record suptone arm pivoted on an axis to swing over said support during the reproduction of sound, and a sound box mounted on said tone arm, said record support being mounted to move away from the pivotal axis .of said tone arm into an operative relation with respect to said sound box and to move toward said pivotal axis into inoperative relation with respect to said sound box;

1l. In a talking machine,'the combination with a cabinet, of sound reproducing means arranged therein, and a rotary record support movable from an inoperative position within said cabinet to an operative position outwardly from the interior of said cabinet, and means to counterbalance the weight of said record support to facilitate its movement into and outwardly from the interior of said' cabinet.

12. In a talking machine, the combination iioV A said cabinet to an operative playing position extending outwardly from said cabinet and vice versa.

13. In a talking machine, the combination with a cabinet, of a closure mounted to oscillate about a fixed axis, a rotary record support arranged to move with respect to said cabinet in an inclined path from an inoperative to an operative playing position, and means connecting said closure and said record support whereby said closure moves said record support through said inclined path upon the oscillation of said closure.

14. In a talking machine, the combination of a cabinet provided with an opening, of a closure for said opening, a rotary record support arranged to move with respect to sald cabinet in an inclined path from an inoperative to an operative playing position, means connecting said closure and said record support whereby said closure moves said record support through said inclined path upon the opening and closing of said closure, and means to counterbalance the Weight of said record support.

15. In a talking machine, the combination with a cabinet provided With an opening and a movable closure therefor, of a tone arm having one end pivoted within said cabinet to swing in an inclined plane, a rotary record support and means operatively connecting said closure and record support to move said record support in an inclined path substantially parallel to the plane in which said tone arm swings, from an inoperative position to a playing position, and from an operative playing position to an inoperative position upon the opening and closing respectively of said closure.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of September, 1914.

ELDRIDGE R. JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

DONALD GOTHA lVoLFF, CHARLES F. WILLARD. 

